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Medical Ethics Advisor

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Articles

  • Some patients refuse to stop chemo at end of life

    The above quote from an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in June demonstrates the challenges that physicians can have with certain patients who, in everyday language, refuse to give up the fight to continue with their life, even if a prognosis suggests that is not possible.
  • Medical ethics at issue in North Carolina case involving executions

    Medical ethics is at the center of a case in the state of North Carolina, whereby the state Department of Corrections is at odds with the North Carolina Medical Board (NCMB) over physician participation in executions.
  • AMA issues apology on racial inequality

    The American Medical Association (AMA) in Chicago in July issued a formal apology for its past history of racial inequality toward African-American physicians, and it highlighted its current efforts to increase the numbers of minority physicians and their participation in the physician membership organization.
  • Mass customization discussed for EOL care

    As the baby boomers age, medicine is allowing us to live longer, but perhaps sicker, managing chronic disease with medication and replacing parts that have broken down with a combination of medical devices and surgeries.
  • AMA to study financial incentives for organ donors

    The American Medical Association in Chicago at its annual meeting in June adopted policy calling for the modification of current law to allow pilot studies on financial incentives for organ donation from people who have died.
  • Ethicists pen commentary on organ transplantation

    Ethicists primarily at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia came together to pen a commentary appearing in June 26, 2008, issue of The New England Journal of Medicine calling for organ transplantation policies that would require potential organ recipients to opt-in or opt-out at the time they are listed for organs as to whether they would accept so-called "non-standard" organs.
  • The Joint Commission to hospitals: Monitor, correct disruptive behaviors

    The Joint Commission in Oakbrook Terrace, IL, on July 9 issued a Sentinel Alert that would require hospitals to establish policies that address, manage and correct what it refers to as "intimidating and disruptive behaviors" by health care professionals in the facility setting.
  • News Briefs

    The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) and the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) board of directors has approved what was termed elements of a pilot national system to facilitate kidney paired donations.
  • Non-invasive ventilation helpful in lung cancer

    A paper presented at the American Thoracic Society's 2008 International Conference in Toronto in May suggests that patients with end-stage lung cancer may benefit from noninvasive ventilation (NIV).
  • African-Americans get less EOL discussion

    A new study on ICU physicians conducted by an assistant professor at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland found that physicians are less comfortable discussing end-of-life issues and do it less frequently with African-American patients and their families than with Caucasian patients and families.